If you are visiting Cusco or Lake Titicaca, know about Acclimatizing before you land there..

Cocoa Leaves

Don't be confused, it may be a ingredient
of cocaine, but still Cocoa leaves is perfectly legal to buy in Peru.
But it is illegal in most of the neighboring countries, so don't carry
the cocoa bag with you while leaving Peru and entering another country.

Boleto (Boleto Turístico General,
or BTG) is the admission tickets to some sites in around
Cusco. If included sites matches with your plan, it is wise to
purchase the Cusco Tourist Ticket.

Inca Trail is a walking route that leads through the mountainous
jungle and rich subtropical jungle above the Urubamba River, following the course of an old
Inca roadway leading to the sacred Inca city of Machu Picchu. It is really a
fabulous trail. Think about the time at which it was constructed! When the
Spanish invaded this region, they needed three days from coast to Cusco on
horse. But it was said that Inca Emperor could eat a fresh fish within three
hours after it was fishing in the coast- yes we are not talking about 20th
century, it was 15th or 16th century. May be that is why people like to hike
this trail this much.

Inca conquests could never have been accomplished without good roads, nor
could the Inca have to continue to rule over the conquered peoples for long
without being able to move armies to any troubled part of the Empire with
lightning speed.

New Rule for Inca trail

Inca trail is one of the most visited trails in South America. Because of its
growing popularity, it was getting overcrowded. Peruvian government has
introduced a new rule to protect the trail from overuse. New rules restrict the
number of trekkers on the trail. From 2005 all the new rules came into effect.
Since then to get a space in Inca trail is getting more and more difficult. Now
a day you have to reserve a place five months in advance if you are planning to
visit during high season.

Peruvian government has introduced the new rule in 2002 (Resolution N° 02-
2003-UGM-CD). But government started to enforce all sections of this rule from
2005. New regulations imply that in a day maximum number of people enters to
Inca trail can be 500. Of which only 200 are trekker, others are porter, cooks
and guides. Another important feature of this rule is that all trekking
companies that operate the Inca Trail must have an operating license which is
issued every year in March. Also all the trekking companies have to be local,
and have to have an office in Peru.

Booking early

Since only 500 people can enter the trail each day, spaces are filled up very
quickly. During the months of high season (April to September) all the 500
spaces filled up four/five months in advance. If you are thinking that once you
reach Peru, you will choose an operator and hike the trail, and then you would
be disappointed and may have to come back without hiking Inca trail. So you have
to reserve a space well in advance.

Here I am giving you table with which you can plan your trail
journey date and accordingly you know the time by which you have to book with
some agency.

Srl.

Must be Booked by

Trail starting date

1.

December 2013-January 2014

May 2014

2.

December 2013-January 2014

June 2014

3.

January 2014-February 2014

July 2014

4.

February 2014-March 2014

August 2014

5.

April 2014-May 2014

September 2014

6.

July 2014

October 2014

7.

August 2014

November 2014

8.

October 2014 (But it’s safe to ensure booking between August 2014-September 2014 if you are planning to visit around Christmas)

December 2014

9.

November 2014

January 2015

10.

(close)

February 2015

11

January 2015

March 2015

12.

January 2015

April 2015

Choosing an operator

If you are planning to visit Inca trail, fix a date and check online whether
that date is available. Then you have to go through most difficult part-
choosing a tour operator. There are so many operators and so many packages; it
is difficult to choose one from them. But you have to choose one. As without a
tour operator practically it is not possible to hike the trail. According to the
new rule, if you hike independently you need to hire a professional guide. But
it is difficult to get a professional guide just for yourself. Touring operators
do not like to leave their qualified guides. Even if you can manage a guide,
rule states that you cannot take porters or cook. So you have to carry your own
staff, equipments, tent, and you have to cook yourself, if you hike
independently. So it is better to choose a licensed tour operator.

You can check different website and select
one operator. There are around 160
licensed tour operators. Different tour operators offer different prices. It
ranges from 600.00 US $ to even $ 1100.00. Some tour operators are very
expensive, but their service is better also. Before you select an operator, you
should know the actual expenses for hiking a trail, which items are included in the
packages and which are not. Also check whether the tour operator is a local
company or not, because it has to be a local company according to the rule. It
may happen that you book your place with a overseas operator, but that company
cannot operate themselves, so they will engage again another local company. So
it is better if you can choose the local company yourself.

Making reservation

Once an operator is selected, you have to book a date with that company.
Provide them your particulars like, your name, age and passport number, then
they will buy the permit for you. You have to pay booking money through pay pal
or through credit card. Payment procedure varies operators to operators. Once
you get the permit it cannot be refunded. Since the permit is under your name,
only you can travel with it. During the time of the travel at the entrance of
the Inca trail, authority checks the permit and passport. Your name and passport
number on the permit and on the passport must match otherwise they will not
allow you to get in. So you have to be careful on small issues.

Classic Inca trail and other trails

Here is a video from you tube on Inca trail. You may like the video; it is on
the experience of a 4 day trekker.

Most popular Inca trail is known as
Classic Inca
trail. This trail starts from some point of Cusco city. After 3 days of
tedious journey, on the fourth morning you will reach Machu Picchu. You have to
walk 45 kilometer on this trek. But if you do not want to walk 45 kilometer then
you can hike two days Inca trail. It is a shorter version of the classic one. In
this one you have to walk only 14 km, as this one will start from a closer
location from Machu Picchu. So if you don't have much time to spend on or if you
want to walk less you can always choose this
two days trail. But don't forget still you need the trail permit in advance
to get a space for this short trail. 5 days
Salkantay trail (Mollepata
- Salkantay - Wayllabamba - Machu Picchu) is also a good alternative.

Some tour operators offer this trail, and this one offers more variety in
landscape. This trail is also restricted by the government regulation.

Suppose you are in Lima or in Cusco and you want to hike Inca trail. So it
may not be possible to get a space within such short time. In that case you may
visit 7 day Salkantay trail (Mollepata- Salkantay - Santa Teresa - Machu
Picchu) or Ausangate, Lares Valley or Choquequirao trail. Government has not
yet impose any permit requirement on this trails, hence there is no space
limitations on this trails. That is why you may easily get a group on these
trails.

Cost involved

Inca trail is getting more and
more costly. You have to check the detail of the offer of travel guides. Usually
they will give you a better price if you travel in a group, the more number of
persons in a group, the better price you will get. Almost all the packages
include price of entry to Inca trail and Machu Picchu ruins, bus fare from Machu
Picchu to Aguas Calientes and train fare from Aguas Calientes to Cusco. But you
have to ensure everything is there before you choose an Inca trail guide. You may
check my page on
detail cost
of the trail.

Best time to go

Best time is from June to August. But this period is the high season there,
so if you travel this time it would be a little expensive. Inca trail is open
throughout the year. Only in February it is closed for renovation of the trail.
But don't be confused- even in February Machu Picchu ruin remains open.

Weather
of Machu Picchu is good during the high season, that is from June to August.
This time it is cold here. During December to January, lots of rain makes the
journey through trail a little more difficult. But still lots of people visit
during that part of the year.